The Role of Nurses and Midwives in ensuring sustainable ... · The Role of Nurses and Midwives in ensuring sustainable Public Health Development in the Contemporary World Region

The Role of Nurses and Midwives

in ensuring sustainable

Public Health Development

in the

Contemporary

World

Region/ National

SR SARLA MACWAN FCBSC(NURSING), MBA (HEALTHCARE ADMINISTRATION), MSC (NURSING), DIPLOMA

(HOSPITAL ADMIN)

Religious Sister of the Congregation of the Daughters of the Cross of Leige

More than 20 years of field and institutional experience

Medical Administrator and Executive Director: St Elizabeth Hospital, Mumbai

since 12 years

Current President of the Catholic Nurses Guild of India

Advisory Board Member of CBCI-CARD

Expertise in Disaster Management and in Riot and Earthquake Relief

Operations

Rural India Paramedical Trainer – Barefoot Doctors Campaign

Worked with Orphans and Unwed Mothers in a counseling, resettlement and

rehabilitation programs

INTRODUCTION

Maximizing the impact of nursing and midwifery on improving & protecting public health system.

The challenges we face in terms of population health and well being are huge.

Therefore each one of us are chosen to become

Angels of mercy…. “The Nurses & Midwives”

to heal the wounded world.

Poverty

Faced with the above challenges,

God was looking for some strong women……

& guess… Whom did He find?

Before I elaborate on the roles of nurses and midwives let me put the subject matter of my presentation in a context of India.

We need to understand our function of the presentation and define a few terms such as :❖ Public Health

❖ Sustainable Development and Sustainable Public Health

❖ Understanding of Role

Public Health :Public health is the science

of protecting and improving

the health of people and

their communities.

A large part of public

health is promoting

healthcare equity, quality & accessibility.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

… development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

It contains within it two key concepts:

The concept of 'needs', in particular the essential needs of the world's poor, to which overriding priority should be given; &The idea of limitations imposed by the state of technology and social organization on the environment's ability to meet present and future needs.

The formation of the nurses and midwives depend on following:

a) The candidate (nurse or midwife) – her background,

b) The formator - her education and her commitment

c) The content (subject mater to teach/learn) –

How reality based it is?

a) The methodology – How the subject matter is taught?

b) The Environment of learning – Is it discrimination free?

Poor Health &

Education

Facilities

Early

Marriage

Social

Institutions:

Family

Education

Religion

Economy

Judiciary, Media

StateBeliefs of patriarchy

Keeping in mind the above formation and mind-set of our nurses and midwives, the role becomes more challenging and demanding towards Public Health.

I want you to join me in looking at the Nursing Students in all our Nursing Schools.

Look at her with the baggage she comes with!

To meet all the expectations from the nurses and midwives,

let us ask ourselves :

Have we trained our nurses to

face the challenges of public

health in a contemporary world?

With the above challenges

If our training is empowering and based on sustainable

development, I am sure she will be able to fulfill the role

that is expected of her.

UNDERSTANDING OF ROLE

Role and responsibility :

Better health of : individuals, families & communities.

When the nurse has deepened her understanding of herself and others, she will be

“The CHANGE" ,

the change that she would like to see in others.

UNDERSTANDING OF ROLE

The nurse is called to be:A competent nurse, A caring mother, A compassionate counselor,An innovator and A guide.

Understanding of Role per say: A prescribed or expected behaviour associated with a particular

position or status in a group or organization.

Role has two important components:

Responsibilities

Rights in some way it also means authority to implement what is

expected

Role

1) Efforts on the part of

the role holder

2) Required

competencies

(knowledge and skills)

for the role

3) The Character, Mind-set

and attitude to carry out

the role

EFFORTS ON THE PART OF THE NURSES &MIDWIVES

(COMPASSION IN PRACTICE)

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES

(KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS FOR THE ROLE)

WHAT DO PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS DO?

1) As a public health professional, you will be trained to perform one or more of these ten essential services:Monitor the health status of a community to identify potential problems.

2) Diagnose and investigate health problems and hazards in the community.

3) Inform, educate, and empower people about health issues, particularly the underserved and those at risk.

4) Mobilize community partnerships to identify and solve health problems.

5) Develop policies and plans that support individual and community health efforts.

WHAT DO PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS DO?

6) Enforce laws and regulations that protect health and ensure safety.

7) Link people to needed personal health services and ensure the provision of health care when otherwise unavailable.

8) Ensure a competent public health and personal health care workforce.

9) Evaluate effectiveness, accessibility, and quality of personal and population-based health services

10)Research new insights and innovative solutions to health problems.

Public health professionals try to prevent

problems from happening or recurring

through implementing educational programs,

recommending policies, administering

services and conducting research—in contrast

to clinical professionals like doctors and

nurses, who focus primarily on treating

individuals after they become sick or injured.

CONCLUSION

As catholic nurses let us think and reflect how we can make public health more sustainable in whatever little ways that we can contribute so that every human persons be in the urban slums or in the remote villages, enjoy good health and wellbeing by our very presence and holistic approach towards total development and growth in health care.